[Warning point of view will switch rapidly and often without warning. This is more an experiment in writing than an actual coherent story. Triggering warnings for abuse, torture, mentions of rape (but nothing detailed or graphic), violence, mild gore, and explicit language. This is an AU (or well more like different timeline/ what if) of an AU for Star Wars.]
They'll try to tell you that time is linear.
It's not. It never has been.
So many times,
So many places,
So many what ifs,
And so many threads connecting it all.
It's a web beyond our understanding.
Pull a string here,
And something happens over there.
I can see so much,
And yet so little.
All these times,
All these lives,
Lived, Lost, Forgotten, Found,
And yet I still have so much to learn.
I record it all and understand so little.
But I'm not here to understand.
I'm here to archive.
I know my place now.
I am The Archivist.
It's not. It never has been.
So many times,
So many places,
So many what ifs,
And so many threads connecting it all.
It's a web beyond our understanding.
Pull a string here,
And something happens over there.
I can see so much,
And yet so little.
All these times,
All these lives,
Lived, Lost, Forgotten, Found,
And yet I still have so much to learn.
I record it all and understand so little.
But I'm not here to understand.
I'm here to archive.
I know my place now.
I am The Archivist.
The room is dark, lit only by weak moon light filtering through the curtains that cover the small windows. A person tosses and turns in their sleep, moaning in pain and whimpering in fear. With a sharp gasp they jolt awake, sitting up rapidly from the bed. It's a younger man, he can't be more than 26 standard years old, with rusty auburn hair and liquid amber eyes and tanned skin. His eyes dart about the room scanned, watching, taking in everything all at once. His heart trembles in his chest and his breathing is harsh. A larger man stirs beside him and yawns, before rubbing his tired eyes wearily.
"Orion?"
Orion sits there for a long moment before finally replying quietly, with a gravely voice, "Go back to sleep."
The other man, long black hair and bright blue eyes, stares at him before narrowing his eyes and snapping back with a growl, "It's not kriffing nothing. What's wrong?"
Orion reels in his labored breath and lays back down. He stares blankly at the ceiling and counts backwards from five before replying, "Just a dream. I'll be fine."
The other man turns to stare at Orion a frown on his face. "Don't lie to me, Orion. It wasn't just some dream. Out with it."
Orion shivers and turns to face the other man, but refuses to meet his eyes. "I don't want to talk about it, Xanatos. Please...just-just drop it."
Xanatos stares at him for a few moments longer before sighing and scooting closer to Orion and wrapping an arm around him. Orion stiffens for a moment before relaxing into the touch and laying his head against Xanatos' chest. Xanatos sifted slightly until he was comfortable and drifted off back to sleep. Orion listened to his heart beat as he slowly fell into a deep dreamless sleep curled up against the other man. He was going to need the rest if he was to make it through tomorrow.